Comrade U: A Timeless Artistic Legacy or a Relic of the Past?

Comrade U stands as one of the most iconic artists of the early 2000s blogosphere. His artwork, widely utilized as avatars and illustrations for significant global events like the passing of Hugo Chavez, transcends mere propaganda. With a style reminiscent of the “combat pencils” posters, Comrade U’s pieces delve into dark humor, melancholic irony, and the essence of an era, capturing the fate of ordinary people on the fringes of civilization. Above all, Comrade U is an anonymous philosopher expressing profound thoughts through his art.

The Evolution of Art: Then and Now

Art is a dynamic realm that evolves with the times. The era of Comrade U is undoubtedly the early 2000s, but how was art created then, and how is it created now?

Art Through the Ages

I hope my era is not confined to just the early 2000s, or Comrade U would be a thing of the past. Art was and continues to be created beautifully, but over the years, an important task has emerged: to avoid repeating oneself. Moreover, at some point, the old, time-tested methods stopped working. A qualitative leap occurred.

For instance, right now, I find myself writing what amounts to a chivalric novel, and I can’t seem to break away from it. Yet, I understand that novels and literature, in general, are fading into obscurity. No one reads anymore, and large forms are only perceived by rudimentary units. I strive to give my writing a new, clip-like form that is now the only one perceived. However, as an author, deep immersion remains crucial to me.

Medieval Inspirations

It’s quite amusing. I never thought you’d be interested in the topic of chivalry. Is your love for the Middle Ages from childhood?

The Middle Ages are not particularly appealing to me. Antiquity, however, is a different matter—a time of free and dignified people. But the color of the Middle Ages is unique and undeniable. Chivalry, in this context, is a bright spot, a cult of striving for the ideal.

The Artist’s Path

Perhaps the true path of an artist is to disregard everything and do as they please?

An artist has two main paths: to disregard everything and be themselves, going in their own, inevitably lonely direction, or to interact with society, feel its movements, and hear its voices. I try to combine these two approaches—it’s more interesting that way. In everyday life, it’s impossible to chase two hares, but art is beautiful in that you can chase even sixty.

Inspirational Figures

The heroes of your paintings are mainly characters from the 20th century. Are there any figures from the 21st century worthy of Comrade U’s brush?

Yes, of course, many characters and types from the 20th century have moved into the 21st, and some even from the 19th century or the Middle Ages. People continue to belong to different eras, especially in our case. This reaches a critical point, leading to complete incompatibility. In Asia or Europe, they get along quite well with each other, but we have discord. It is on this discord, this paradox, this confrontation that relevant art is based.

As for specific characters, there are plenty of them. The golden age of grotesque, which Marilyn Manson always talked about, has arrived. Maybe the new ones don’t have the former greatness, but they are as colorful as the previous ones. Look at Yoon, Trump, Morales, for example. These are ready-made comic book characters.

Thoughts on Contemporary Figures

All artists seem to do is express their opinions about the new President of the United States, Donald Trump. What feelings does he evoke in you?

He’s gotten a bit tiresome. But overall, he’s a colorful guy, with his curly hair, the joker of the new world order. The embodiment of the sign that things will no longer be as they were before. You could say he’s the American Khrushchev. Although I prefer Yoon—a very prefabricated young man, fat and beautiful, ready to star in some Phantomas movie right now.

Women in Art

Your paintings feature many recognizable men but very few women. Which women inspire you, and which historical figure do you find most interesting?

There are women, just fewer of them, because drawing a woman is a responsible task. Any artist knows that for an unsuccessful portrait, you can get a scolding from the subject like no other. Accordingly, from the Universe too. It’s no wonder it’s feminine.

A woman is a delicate and elusive creature, a work of art in herself, but I try to capture her as well. The works mainly feature beautiful ladies, little girls, and old women—the most mystical categories of the female estate.

Historical Women

As for historical figures, these are personalities that have no counterparts in the rough male world. You can just start listing them: Lou Salome, Inessa Armand, Evita Peron, Dian Fossey, Astrid Lindgren, and so on. If we take the main character, the archetype, it’s probably Joan of Arc, who led the troops, a fragile girl through whom the spirit trumpeted. In general, when the spirit trumpets, it doesn’t matter whether it does so through a man, a woman, or a soup bowl.

Art in Turbulent Times

It happens that the brightest jewels of creativity appear in the most turbulent times. Now the times are also not easy, but instead of the avant-garde, there is a lull. Do you feel it in yourself?

It seems to me that the lull is triumphing because the old forms are dying out. When Mayakovsky and his guys were throwing Pushkin off the steamship of modernity, these forms were just living in full swing. And now the steamship itself has sunk. The genus homo is still alive, which means art will live too. It’s just that art is concentrating. It’s looking for itself. Or maybe it has already found itself.

Those who are used to parasitizing on outdated forms have settled firmly on them and do not allow the shoots of the new to grow. However, the young will prevail—sooner or later. “We should not be deceived by the present grave-like silence in Europe. Europe is pregnant with revolution,” as Comrade Lenin said on a very similar occasion exactly one hundred years ago, at the beginning of 1917.

Overcoming Apathy

What is your personal recipe for fighting apathy?

As for my personal recipe, it’s probably to not tie myself to any time or any movement, to steadfastly be myself, relying on what has already been done by others. And a lot has been done; masterpieces have been created, even the contemplation of which gives strength.

Principles and Beliefs

Are there any fundamental things in your value system that you would never allow yourself to do?

Yes, and I often have to regret it. But these prohibitions are not from the mind; nothing can be done—you correspond, and that’s it.

And what specifically would you not accept under any conditions?

I don’t know how to order to disparage what I like or praise what I don’t like. If you swap them, then I will gladly praise or disparage.

Unexplained Situations

Have there been situations that you cannot rationally explain?

There have been. In general, the paranormal and the normal are rather conventional divisions. The world is a mystery in all its manifestations. The world is incredible by the very fact of its existence. What norms can there be in it?

Art and Totalitarianism

It can be said that your paintings are a continuation of the poster art that flourished during the totalitarian era. Could you create under totalitarianism yourself?

People always live in totalitarianism, only with the prefix “soft” or with the prefix “hard.” And the drive belts can be different: the desire for power, greed, fear of poverty or punishment. But the main thing is that we are always in the system. We are herd animals, and the herd is always in the system.